Dogs Kept Cramped And Dirty At Pet Hotel

A man who ran a kennel specialising in training security and attack dogs has been given a suspended prison sentence and been banned from keeping and being involved with dogs for 10 years.

39 year old Nijamul Islam of Farm Road, Edgware, Middlesex, appeared before Bedford Magistrates’ Court for sentencing after he was convicted of 25 charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a number of dogs in his care and failing to meet the welfare needs of 173 dogs, following a trial last month.

Islam was given 20 weeks imprisonment for each offence and this was suspended for two years, due to his ill health.

He was banned from keeping and being involved with dogs for 10 years, ordered to carry out 250 hours of community service and an order to pay of more than £42,000 in costs was also made by the District Judge.

Following the trial, Islam was found guilty of 25 charges of causing unnecessary suffering to several dogs and one charge of failing to meet the welfare needs of 173 dogs and puppies by keeping them in a variety of environments which were unsuitable, such as keeping them in cramped conditions, dirty environments contaminated by faeces and urine or with inadequate bedding and access to fresh clean water, and some animals were in need of veterinary care.

The court had been told that the RSPCA was alerted to the premises after Cambridgeshire Constabulary took on a dog, known as ‘Jax’, for a trial period from the defendant and the dog was found to be emaciated.

The dog was taken to a vet and the RSPCA was called to investigate. However, following this, concerns were raised about the amount of dogs at the kennels where Jax had come from and the RSPCA, working with the police, attended the premises on 18th August 2011.

A number of RSPCA officers together with the police and a vet attended the location - Vardalu Pet Hotel in Watford Road, Elstree, Borehamwood. The premises were also known as Elite K9* Training which sells specialist protection guard dogs.

It is suggested that some of the dogs could be worth between £3,000 and £20,000.

The dogs found at the premises included Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Malinois and American Bull Dogs.

A total of 91 dogs, 33 adults and 58 puppies, were immediately taken into RSPCA possession as they were cited to be the most at risk.

Speaking after the case, RSPCA chief inspector Mark Thompson said: “We are satisfied with the sentence handed out today. This was a very complex case for the RSPCA involving a large number of dogs and puppies.

“The court was told that these dogs were kept in unclean and unhygienic conditions and this was a prolonged neglect of the worst kind involving a large number of animals.

“When we arrived at the location I was appalled to see so many dogs and puppies being kept in such unsuitable conditions – it just wasn’t acceptable at all.

“The dogs were just seen as goods to be traded and there just didn’t seem to be any consideration for their welfare whatsoever. It was a horrible sight and I am just glad that we were able to get these dogs out.”

Among those to be found a new home is Harper, a seven-year-old Rottweiler who was rehomed to Andrew Godlington from the Grantham area. Harper is thriving in her new home environment and her owner Andrew says he cannot imagine life without her now.